Driving Tips – Driving in wet weather

 
This week’s driving tip is driving in wet weather.
 
Our British weather means that you will need to be able to drive in the rain all year round. These tips will help you to stay safe.
 
Rain reduces your tyres ability to grip the road, it also reduces what you can see and hear and the ability of others to see you; this makes wet weather driving more hazardous than driving in dry conditions.
 
 

 
 
You will need to drive slower in the wet and double the gap between yourself and the vehicle ahead as a minimum. These are the first and most basic rules of driving in the rain but the following tips will also help.
 

Wet weather tips:

 

•  Allow more time for your journeys in the rain, wet weather can lead to heavy bunching traffic which in turn extends your journey time, you also need to drive slower than in the dry in order to stay safe.
• Use dipped headlights – this will help other road users to see you. If visibility is less than 100 metres you must use your headlights by law.
• Keep your windows clear by using the de-misters – don’t wait until it rains, learn to use all of the heater controls now.

 
 

 
 

•  Use all the controls gently, especially the brakes. This will reduce the risk of skidding and braking gently and early will give following drivers more time to respond when the see your brake lights.
• Watch out for pedestrians who might be rushing, with collars turned up and umbrellas blocking their vision they could step out without seeing you; they won’t hear you as easily either. Cyclists can be hard to see in the wet, especially if they have no lights or reflective clothing. Cyclists will also be rushing to get out of the rain and are likely to have their heads down, not looking so far ahead.
• Beware! A light shower after a long dry spell in the summer can leave the road as slippery as ice. You will expect to come across ice in the winter – you are less likely to expect an ice-like surface in the summer!

 
 

 
 
Finally, if the rain is so hard that it’s difficult to see, even with the wipers on full, or if you feel nervous about the weather, pull in and park in a safe place until the storm passes.

Good luck with your wet weather driving!